To Whom it May Concern

Re: The funerary ashes of Nikola Tesla.

I wish to reiterate my authority and
responsibility concerning the disposition of the funerary ashes of my
granduncle, Nikola Tesla.

It has come to my attention through
media reports that there is a proposal to move the ashes of Nikola
Tesla from the Nikola Tesla Museum to a site associated with St. Sava
Cathedral in Belgrade. While I am always supportive of additional
honors and recognition accorded to the memory and regard of this
great man, I must insist that I be consulted on any such move. I
have always supported the wishes of my aunt, Dr. Mica Trbojevic,
niece of Tesla, confidant of and co-founder with Dr. Sava Kosanovic
of the Museum (and also his heir) that Tesla’s ashes should be on
view at the Museum. By definition, a move would be an important
undertaking and must include my participation.

I speak now as the closest living
relative of Nikola Tesla rather than as the Chairman of the Executive
Board and Executive Secretary of the Tesla Memorial Society, Inc.

My authority stems from two separate
but related sources. First, my older cousin Jovan Trboyevic of
Chicago and I are the last surviving of a total of only five grand
nephews/nieces of Nikola Tesla. We are grandsons of Angelina
Tesla-Trbojevic, eldest sister of Nikola Tesla. This is a unique
blood relationship not available to anyone else.

Second, at the time of Tesla’s death
in 1943 my father, Nikola J. Trbojevich, was the nominal direct heir
of Tesla’s estate, being a nephew and the only U.S. citizen with
authority to act on behalf of Nikola Tesla, also a U.S. citizen who
died intestate. The exigencies of war, illness and travel
difficulties made it more efficient for these duties to be shifted to
Dr. Sava N. Kosanovic, another nephew of Tesla and on temporary
wartime duty in New York. This arrangement led to the transfer of
the Tesla estate to Belgrade and the founding of the Nikola Tesla
Museum. My authority follows the family line of succession as each
member died. Dr. Sava Kosanovic to Dr. Mica Trbojevic (both died
without children) to Nikola Trbojevich to me.

For responsibility, I have spent more
than thirty years representing the family in accepting honors
accorded to Nikola Tesla and in promoting the memory and ideals of my
famous granduncle. If any move of his ashes should occur, I must be
present to preserve the legitimacy of the act in this modern day of
non-authoritarian government.